An Arabian Turth
by disneyqueen
Summary: (Working Title and extreme A/U) A mute maiden trying to survive in a new city, followed by supersistion and betrayal. A young boy trying to make his mother proud. He is willing to risk everything and change himself to be worthy of love. Can Ariel show him, while learning from her mistakes, that being true to yourself is the only thing that matters and that love comes from that?
1. Prologue

_The warm desert breeze blows through the high, palace windows, caressing the white, marriage vail of the young bride. Sapphire eyes gaze over the transparent mask of virtue at the lord before her. _

"_What story shall it be tonight?" the sultan asked. _

_The young bride bows. "It is one I think you will be pleased with."_

_A wave of a hand is the only response. _

"_It is one of deceit, superstitions, betrayal, magic, romance, and adventure. A poor young boy finds a magic lamp which aids him in-"_

"_Stop!" _

_The girl looks up, startled. _

"_You have spun this tale before. The poor street rat finds a lamp with a genie who grants three wishes. He uses one to become a prince and wins the heart of the fair princess after he defeats an evil sorcerer."_

"_There are some similarities it is true," the girl allows softly. "Still, I am certain you shall enjoy this tale if you allow me to tell it for there is a mermaid as well."_

"_Let me guess the mermaid wishes to be human to win some type of love. She finds the love of her life and they live together forever. Is that what happens? Tell me."_

"_Once more, it is only a similarity, my lord. My tale has not been told before. It is different of that I can assure you. It is taken from the oldest of fables."_

"_How is it different?" Sharp eyes narrow impatiently. _

"_It is different in that the street rat only wishes to make his hard working mother proud of him after years of failure and a former mermaid trying to survive in a cruel world filled with superstitions and to find a love within a year before all is lost."_

_Regal eyes grow wide. "Continue."_

_The girl sinks to her knees, her robes of white pooling around her. "Now we must dive back into the past to a starry night on the banks of a desert river with a small boy and his mother."_

_ ** XxX**_

"Mama, look at the stars and the moon," a small child cried, craning his neck to look up at the dazzling sky. "Can Father see them from where he is?"

His mother smiled down at him, ruffling his unruly black hair. "Yes, you know he can."

The boy ducked out from his mother's grasp. For the last five years, it had just been him and his mother living in their small house. His father kept floating in and out of his life each time bringing with him a new story from his explorations. Only last year, after Aladdin's sixth birthday, he had left and had still not returned.

Though neither son nor mother was concerned, enjoying their time together; though his mother seemed distant at times lost in her own thoughts at times. Now was not one of those times.

Sitting on the bank of the river now, they took turns spinning tales for each other.

"And so the prince and princess lived happily ever after," his mother concluded her tale with a smile.

The boy made a safe. "Why does it always end like that? We don't like those types of stories."

His mother pulled her robes tighter around herself. "Oh no? And who is the 'we'?"

"We, me and the others."

"Others?"

The boy looked about him. "Mama, I don't think we are the only ones out here?"

His mother laughed softly. "Why of course we are, except for the fishes in the river."

As though answering her, a splash sounded off in the distance.

The boy turned to his mother. "That sounds like a big fish."

He stood, listening. Another splash sounded off to the right further down the beach. He started toward the sound.

"Where are you going?" His mother called.

"I just wanna look. I'll be okay," the boy called as he ran and clambered over the rocks into a small cove.

"Hello, anyone there?" He cried, his voice echoing off the moonlit walls.

The small cove was silent, only a few ripples disturbed the smooth water's surface. Had it just been his imagination? It could have just been a mere fish as his mother suggested.

Still, he sensed someone watching him. He climbed up and knelt down on one of the damp rocks to keep from frightening the creature off. He had learnt that skill while in the square trying to tame a flock of birds when he was younger.

"Come out…I won't hurt you little fishy," the boy called gently.

A light giggle sounded, echoing off the hollow walls.

The boy blinked. Had he just unlocked some type of enchantment or something? Or was he indeed letting his mind get the better of him?

Again, the light giggling returned.

"What's so funny?"

A moment passed and then a female voice spoke. "I'm not a fish."

The boy arched an eyebrow, curiosity outweighing any of his fears. "What are you then?"

"My name's Ariel," the voice said, coming closer, through the water. "I'm a mermaid."

The boy peered out into the bay, leaning out further, trying to get a better view in the moonlight.

Water engulfed him, his legs bruising as they struck against the rock he had just been perched on. His arms swung as he tried to swim toward the surface. His small lungs burned.

Vaguely, he felt a pair of arms came around his waist, hosting him back toward the surface. He let out a cry as he broke through the water, filling his lungs with air before his rescuer tugged him over to s patch of dry sand. The boy crawled up onto the small bank and retched up the salt water. A gentle hand lay across his back.

"Are you okay?" Her voice was light as a bell.

He coughed up a little more water before he turned toward her. "I'm okay, thank…" His voice trailed off as he gaped at his little rescuer full figure. Beside him, a little girl, perhaps a little younger than him, stared down at him. Her bright, pale face was framed by a mess of dampened, yet still bright red hair; her clear blue eyes, the color of the sea, filled with fear and curiosity.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of emerald green. He looked down, his dark brown eyes growing wide. Instead of the two dainty feet he expected, he saw a short emerald scaly, but graceful tail.

"You are a mermaid," he said softly.

"Of course I am," she giggled. "I'm Ariel, I told you, remember."

The boy nodded. "Hi Ariel. I'm-"

"Aladdin! Are you all right?" his mother cried from the cave's entrance.

"Aladdin," the boy finished softly to Ariel. "That's my mama coming."

"It's nice to meet you, Aladdin," Ariel said sticking out her hand.

He shook her hand with a smile. "You too, Ariel."

"Do your mama and Daddy live close to here?"

Aladdin paused and then shrugged. "It's just Mama and me. My father left to go exploring."

"Oh?" A spark of excitement shone in her eyes. "I like exploring too. Do you?"

Aladdin puffed up his chest, pretending to be his father. "Yes and one day I'm going to go explore all the new lands out there."

Ariel clapped her hands in delight and smiled. "Me too. I-"

Suddenly, she dove under the surface just as another human entered the little cove.

Aladdin turned, spotting his mother's robes as she climbed down into the little beach area. Her warm, brown eyes grew wide at the sight of his drenched state.

She ran and knelt beside him. "Are you all right, Aladdin? What happened to you?"

"Ma, I met a mermaid!" Aladdin cried, pointing out to the water. "A real one just like father said."

His mother sighed. "You are funny boy, Aladdin. There are no mermaids here."

"She's right here, I swear." Aladdin turned around and called out.

"Ariel, it's okay. My mama is really nice. Come meet her."

"Aladdin, please not this again. You don't need to lie about such things. And just look at that bump on your head. You must have imagined the whole thing."

"I didn't Mama, I swear. I never lie to you. Father said once that mermaids do exist, right?"

"Oh, son, that was a mere story from your father. He loves to make up things like that." His mother wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "Come it's getting late and you need to rest."

"I'm….huh…ti…tired," Aladdin managed in between yawns, suddenly worn out from his little adventure. "And she was real. She had bright red hair and a green tail instead of legs and she saved me when I fell in."

His mother sighed and offered an appeasing smile. "I'm sure she did, my son, but now it's time for bed."

Reluctantly, Aladdin let his mother led him out of the bay. As the mother helped him over one of the last tocks, she saw something in cast in the moonlight, a bright red piece of something hovering just above the water. Then just as quickly it vanished.

The mother shook her head at her foolishness. The piece of red could have been a simple piece of coral floating on the surface. Still, as they walked up the shoreline, she could not suppress the feeling of being watched.

His mother shook her head, twisting a simple golden band on her finger_. Calm yourself. Aladdin has just been telling one of his tales again. It's probably the bump on his head. Mermaids are just a fable Cassim has told._

"Mama?"

She looked down at her son. "Yes, what is it?"

"The mermaid, Ariel, said she liked exploring like father."

"Did she now?"

He nodded. "Do you think I will see her again?"

"Perhaps, but let's get some sleep now."

Mother and son walked back home while a little mermaid swam beneath the waves back to hers.

_** XxX**_

"_Well what happened? Did the mermaid and boy meet again?"_

"_Not for a decade, my lord."_

"_Then what happened? Tell me." _

"_Do you wish me to continue then?" _

_ **XxX**_

_**I leave it you, my readers. Should the storyteller continue with her tale of the street rat and the mermaid? I promise the story will get better, but introductions are tricky and I wanted it to be new. This is also my first try at a story such as this so I hope you will forgive me if it's not the best introduction. **_

_** As to why Abu is not here, I imagine the storyteller will bring him in soon.** **I as the distributer of this story must say that I do not own these two stories of Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, they belong to their respecte owners. I will give a little warning this is not strictly based on the Disney stories, but a mesh of other versions of these stories as well. I hope to hear from you on your thoughts on this new peice. **_


	2. Chapter 1

**_Here is chapter two. I hope you enjoy it. I own nothing, but orignal characters you will see throughout the story, the rest belong to Disney. Thank you to Geminia for the first review. I'm glad to know at least one person liked it. If there any mistakes with spelling or anything they are mine since I have no BETAer for this story, so please forgive me and if you see any imform me and I will currect it. So, again, I hope my readers enjoy. _**

_The storyteller bows. "Yes, I shall go on." _

_The sultain waits. _

_"Now we must dive beneath the waves to see the mermaid princess ten years after her encounter with the human boy, Aladdin. Since that meeting, her fascinating with human world only grew. Though her father, King Triton, tried to protect her, she would not be chained down, exploring the sunken ships and secretly collecting the treasures the humans left. Then one night, the sixteen year old, felt the world above beckoning to her. It all began with a single, yet important missed concert of when a mermaid comes of age." _

_XxX_

"Oh how could I have lost track of time?" The youngest Altaltican princess, Ariel, mumbled to herself as she pushed herself to swim faster.

Her long emerald tail sliced through the water with ease and grace despite the panic rising in her and her heart thumping wildly against her chest. She had been looking forward to the concert for years, the excitement growing stronger as the weeks passed. It would have been in front of the entire kingdom, her musical debut which would present her as a young mermaid ready to see the surface world.

Yet, that morning she had felt the call of adventure bringing her to the one of the shipyards. All the broken ships which had found their home at the bottom of the sea were collectively known as a shipyard. To protect the citizens of Atlantica, each sunken ship and the area surrounding it was deemed forbidden in an unwritten law.

_But they hold the best treasures_, Ariel thought to herself.

Ariel pushed those thoughts away and turned back to sneaking into the palace. She peeked around one of the columns, pushing her bright red hair from her face. No one was around. Slowly, she slipped around and headed down the corridor to her bedroom.

"Princess Ariel?" a voice called.

Ariel whirled around, placing a hand over her heart. "Captain Jones, what are you doing here?"

The mer guard swam forward and bowed. "I am looking out for your return. Your father, princess wishes to see you at once. He is in the throne room."

Ariel nodded. "Of course. I shall go right there." She began to swim off.

"Let me escort you there," Captain Jones grabbed her arm. "Your father is not in the mood to be tested, your highness."

Reluctantly, the mermaid princess allowed the captain to guild her down the empty corridors down to the closed doors of the throne room. Ariel grimaced, listening to deafening stillness. When the musical celebrations were deemed a success, the corridors of the palace and beyond remained packed to the brim with guests as they continued rejoicing in the musical triumph. Now everything was still and lifeless. Oh why had she lost track of time?

She waited patiently as the captain announced her and then slowly swam inside keeping her head bowed.

"Thank you, Jones. That is all," her father's commanding voice called.

"Yes, sire." The captain bowed and swam out of the room.

Ariel gulped at the sound of the doors closing.

King Triton sat on his large emerald throne. His sharp eyes bore into her as she approached the throne and waited.

Slowly, she raised her eyes to him. Her father was one of the oldest merman who still lived in their kingdom. His white beard hung loosely over his darkened chest and his long tail, a brilliant dark blue. Ariel watched it switching back and forth in irritation.

She tried to smile at him. "Uh…hi Daddy."

King Triton sighed. "I just don't know what I'm going to do with you, young lady. You have missed many important meetings, but this it's almost unbelievable...indeed reckless behavior from you. I know you have been looking forward to this day and yet you were not there."

Ariel held up her hands in apology. "Daddy, I'm sorry, I just forgot I-"

"I don't think you truly understand. This was_ your_ concert today with the entire kingdom here to celebrate with us." King Triton inched forward in his throne, staring down at her. "Instead of rejoicing your coming of age, the entire celebration was…"

"Well it was ruined. It was completely destroyed!" The royal court composer and adviser, a Jamaican red crab named Sebastian, exclaimed from beside the king.

Ariel almost jumped, suddenly realizing his presence in the room.

Sebastian swam over to the young princess. "After all the planning and rehearsals it was all for naught. Dis concert was supposed to be the pinnacle of my career as the Royal Court Composer, but now thanks to you I'm the biggest laughing stock in the entire kingdom."

Ariel frowned. The royal crab had composed and conducted each of her sisters' concerts and had surely thought the same about each of them being the height of his career. Indeed, she could recall Andrina's performance only ten months earlier when she reached the age of sixteen. People had spoken of the grandeur of her voice and the party for two months afterwards. She could only guess how long her absence from the performance would be spoken of in the quiet corners of the court and homes of the peasants.

The crab continued his tirade. "And why did you miss it? Casue you were out dere exploring again."

King Triton turned to the crab. "Exploring where?"

"Oh you know just around," Ariel interjected, smiling up at him sweetly.

"De gaurds tell me it's dhe shipyards, sire," Sabastian explained.

Triton rose from his throne, towering over his youngest child. "The shipyards! You have gone out there?"

Ariel shrugged her shoulders. "It's fine. Nothing happened. I was just curious and-"

"And you were told never to go anywhere near those places." His tone softened. "Gods only know what those barbicans left behind to harm my little star angel with all of their dangerous weapons." He cupped her face in his large hand.

"I'm sixteen years old." She cried defiantly, pulling away from him. "I'm not a child anymore. I can go where I-"

"Do not take that tone with me. As long as you live under my ocean you will obey my rules." The mer king raised his finger to her. "And this rule is clear. Since you have not been presented to the kingdom as a mermaid of age, you shall not go to the surface this day or a year after. Is that clear?!"

Ariel swam forward as though to argue, but paused; the weight of her father's words sinking in. He had forbidden her from going up to the surface as her sister's had done. When she had been young, the entire kingdom had been able to venture up to the surface spending hours up in the sunlight playing and laughing. It was within those first few years, she had come across the first human she had seen. He had been a boy around her age. The memories were hazy, almost like a dream, but one she kept close to her heart.

After her mother died at the hands of the brutal two legged creatures, the surface was barred from all who dwelled in Atlantica. Except for one day when a mermaid princess reached the age of sixteen. While her father deemed them barbarians, he also thought it important to understand how all creatures worked for those who would one day rule.

Ariel could still remember curling up on her bed at night listening to stories of the vicious two legged creatures who cast hooks and nets into the sea to capture innocent fish and kill them. While the stories had chilled her, she had still felt a curiosity growing inside her. Surely not all of them were such horrible creatures…perhaps some were kind like the little boy. Her curiosity had also been heightened in proving some of the stories about humanity untrue. Now after all those years listening to her sister's tales of the world above the surface when they came of age, she was forbidden to follow for a year and a day. How could he do such a thing? It was so unfair!

She opened her mouth to protest his decree, but words would not come, lodged in her throat.

"Oh!" She cried, turning away from him and fleeing the throne room.

She barely noticed her oldest friend, a yellow and blue stripped guppy, Flounder, coming up alongside her as she swam. Her mind was racing. She had been so careful in her expeditions out to the sunken shipyards. How had Sebastian or the guards found out? Her only solace was that they appeared to believe she was only exploring them with her eyes. If the true intent were ever found out…who knew what her father would do?

"Ariel, ever here," Flounder called, beckoning her over to a cluster of rocks.

Ariel swam over to him and smiled. "You hid it?"

"Yup. Go on."

Ariel glanced around before scooping up an orange bag weighted down by the treasures hidden within. She clasped it in her hands as she once again looked around. No one was about now. A flush of shame suddenly came over her. Everyone was probably discussing the failed performance. Was she truly such a disappointment? She could not imagine human fathers reprimanding their daughters or them having to defend themselves from a simple mistake of lost time.

"Are you coming?"

She looked up and blushed. Flounder was already ahead of her. Grasping the bag to her chest, she swam after him a mile or so away from the populated sections of the Altantican capital city. Only a little while later, she spotted a large, titled rock signaling the entrance to her grotto. She quickly slipped inside with Flounder now following her.

A halfhearted smile spread across her face at the sight of her grand trove. She had begun her trove of hidden human trinkets when she was only thirteen when she was deemed older enough to venture out unescorted by her sisters or another member of court. It had grown nearly as fast as her curiosity for the human world had matured. In all her times of trouble, she could find happiness among the objects, but the argument with her father had tainted even her safe heaven.

Ariel opened the bag and sat on the cool sand. She sighed heavily, her most recent treasure in her hands: a three prong object she had christened a dinglehopper. The sliver object felt cold beneath her fingers as she twirled it, lost in her thoughts.

"Ariel, are you okay?" Flounder asked softly, hovering nearby.

"Hm…I just don't understand him, Flounder. I did not mean to miss the concert, but then he wouldn't listen to me that nothing happened in the shipyard. I mean," she pushed herself up and gestured to the mountain trove of her hidden human objects. "Look at this stuff aren't they all neat? What harm could they possibly do to us?"

"Hm…ye know why yer father doesn't like them humans," a Jamaican accented voice called.

Startled, the two friends turned to see Sabastian coming toward them.

"Yer father has kept us hidden from those heartless creatures who burn fish for their own amusement. They take us poor crabs and turn us into them little crab cakes. Gods only know what they would do if them saw a dure mermaid," Sebastian said.

Ariel waved her hand dismissively. "I know, I know the stories."

Sebastian nodded. "And what may I ask is all dis stuff?"

Ariel glanced over at Flounder and then back to the crab. She forced a chuckle and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh this stuff…it's just um my collection that's all."

"Oh I see….your collection…." He smiled in amusement then began to shriek. "If de king ever found this place it…."

Flounder swam up to him, knocking the crab back onto his shell. "You're not gonna tell him are you?"

Ariel followed quickly behind, pleading cupping her hands together. "Oh please…Daddy would never understand. Please keep it a secret."

Sebastian scrambled to right himself with a huff. "Well he aint the only one, but his temper is already sour. I won't spill just yet." He crawled over and grabbed one of Ariel's hands with his pincers. "But now we best be getting back to the palace. Come on."

Ariel allowed him to lead her out of the grotto and back into the open sea. She listened halfheartedly as Sebastian tried to inform her about what occurred at the celebration. His tone was gentle, but she gritted her teeth, only wanting him to stop wishing nothing more than to forget.

She glanced up as a shadow passed overhead.

A dark cloud seemed to have blocked out the light. Yet, it moved to quickly to be part of the sky.

"Ah we better ignore it. Come on…" Sebastian said, tugging gently on Ariel's hand.

She glanced up and watched as the shadowy object glided on the water's surface.

A ship!

Ariel wrenched her hand out of the crab's pincers and shot upward toward the ship. She ignored Sebastian's protests as she continued to swim. It was still her birthday. Who was her father to forbid her from celebrating her birthright of glimpsing the human world and to remember it? The concert was a mere formality for the court nothing more. Besides what harm could there be looking?

Cool evening air washed over her as she broke the surface. A bright full moon hung in the east; its brilliant white light casting a warm glow. Ariel spun around in place taking in everything around her. The darkened sea stretched for miles in each direction. Every creature under the sea would be retiring for evening now; all of them enjoying the serenity of a quiet night.

Boom! Boom!

Ariel spun around again and gasped. The sky overhead was flashing all different colors beside the ship. Ariel traded the water, just gazing up in wonder as the light show played out before her. Joyous voices raised in celebration rang out when the last of the bright colors crackled away into the air.

Ariel grinned to herself. _What are they celebrating?_

She might have ruined her own concert, but she could see what and why others were making merry this night. With a gleeful smile, she swam forward until she was beside the large ship. Slowly, Ariel climbed up the side until she could peek over, observing the sailors dancing on the deck.

Numerous booted feet ponded rhythmically to the tune being played while loud voices rang out in an unknown song. While all the sailors wore the same uniform of a stripped blue and white top and dark bottoms, their dances were all unique. As the music played on, the young mermaid left her heart swell as though the melody ran through her veins. Her voice rose in response; its pure sound rising above the human instruments and voices.

A sudden hush fell over the crew. Each of them looked around perplexed.

Ariel ducked down from her spot, biting her lip. How could she be so careless? A cold shiver ran down her spine. What if they discovered her? Despite her fascination with the human world, all the stories she had been told from childhood were hard to ignore. One small human who had been kind did not mean the rest would be as caring.

"Did you hear that?" a youthful, but confidant voice called.

Ariel turned back, peeking through the opened hole, and spotted a young, tall man standing off to the side with another older, grayed haired man. Both men's attire was different from the rest: the youthful man was dressed in plain white top and gray trousers while the older human was dressed in a fine black suit.

One of the sailors turned and stared out toward the dark ocean. "Aye you best be careful. The sirens like to sing on such a night as this, my prince."

Ariel grinned to herself. Sirens were distant relations of the mer-populace, who dwelled closer to the surface of the open oceans. Perhaps they had sunken enough ships that this one had been spared tonight. She leaned closer, listening.

"Oh, Eric, pay no attention to any of this nonsense. First it was mer-people and now sirens. What is the world coming to in believing such mindless stories?" The thin, grayed haired man said.

The prince grinned. "Ah, Grimsby, what's the harm? I seem to remember you telling me one or two silly stories as a boy."

The man, Grimsby, huffed in irritation. "Hm…well those stories were never about such silly things that went against the Lord."

Another sailor chuckled lightly. "I doubt, God, pays any more attention to our stories than you do, sir." He brought a thin tube to his lips. "Now back to the party."

A lively tune picked up and the dancing resumed.

Ariel bit her lip and tried to drown out the new melodies being played. Instead, she focused on the two men who continued to stand off to the side of the entertainment. She toned the out the sailors and focused on the two men who had fallen into an almost heated discussion.

"Eric, it isn't me alone. Your parents and the entire kingdom wishes to see you marry and happily settle down the right girl. The French princess would have been a fine match and you know it," Grimsby said.

"I do, but I felt nothing when I was with her. And I will settle down, but I haven't found the right girl yet. I want to see the world first."

Ariel's eyes grew wide. He was an explorer like her.

"And my parents promised I could choose instead of a political marriage like theirs," the prince continued.

"Well…my boy, your parents do love each other. Happiness can grow out of such a marriage as well. And it's not always that easy to know when you found the girl of your dreams."

Ariel heard a smile in the prince's voice. "Oh I'll know, Grim. When I come across the right one it'll just bam hit me like lightening."

A crack purple light streaked across the sky, a rumble of thunder on its heels. Dark, thick clouds blocked the once starlit might while sky water poured down upon the ship. The light, cool evening breeze had been blown away by a fierce, howling wind. Ariel clung to the ship's side, ducking her head into her chest trying to shield herself. The pounding droplets felt like sharp pieces of coral pricking her skin. Overhead on deck, she vaguely heard the cries of the humans as they tried to find some order to the storm. She thought she heard someone invoke her father's name though in damnation or prayer she could not be certain.

Once more, lightening flashed exploding into an orange blossom on the ship.

Ariel paddled back in the waves, her eyes wide. She had only heard stories of the orange and red flames which gave the humans warmth on cold winter nights. Yet, this was different. The flames lapped at the air, devouring the wooden planks of the ship like a living creature. What was this? Amongst the orange backdrop, she could make out the shape of a human standing onboard.

She gaped. What was someone still doing up there? What if…?

Her eardrums rang as the ship exploded; it's piercing sound ringing out into the night. Instantly, Ariel dove and resurfaced amongst the burning debris. Smoke burned her lungs and blurred her vision as she spun in a frantic search. In the distance, she heard the other humans crying out for their missing comrade, but she ignored them.

Her eyes squinted against the smoke as she continued to carefully wade through the water. By all the seven seas, where was he? Had he already sunk beneath the waves unable to cry out for help? The stories went that humans floated at the surface until their souls left them and they sank beneath, finding their resting place at the bottom of the sea.

Ariel shook her head, brushing those thoughts aside. He had to be here.

Suddenly, through the hiss of the fire and splash of the waves, a groan sounded nearby. Ariel spun, spotting the unconscious prince only a few feet away, half of his body lying on a broken, unstable hunk of wood. She watched in horror as he shifted his weight and disappeared under the cold waves.

Once again, the mermaid dove, coming quickly to his side. Her arms sprung forward, catching the man around the waist. She held him with her left and turned, pulling him with her back to the world of air.

The sun had already risen, giving no evidence of the stormy night, by the time rescuer and her charge crawled onto the sandy shoreline. Her muscles ached from the long night, but she forced herself to stay awake. She grimaced, imaging the sun burning her back; its rays drawing out the water from her skin, but she swallowed the discomfort as she stared at the prince.

His face was still, his dark hair plastered to his forehead. His eyes remained closed as though in slumber.

She shook him, but still he did not stir.

"Come on, wake up," she whispered close to his ear.

As if by her command, a breath escaped his chapped lips.

Her heart swelled as she watched his chest rise and fall with life. She had saved him. Tentatively, she reached over, turning him toward her, her hand cupping the left side of his face. He was so beautiful. She listened to the rhythmical waves lapping against the banks, a melody flowing from her heart to her mouth as she sang. As she sang, she saw the prince grudgingly begin to rouse further. She smiled at him, continuing her song.

"Eric! Eric, are you here?" an older male voice called.

Ariel turned just as the large, fluffy creature, she had seen on the ship, came bonding down the shoreline. Further down the beach, she could make out the silhouette of another human. He was thinner than the prince and his gray hair tied behind his back.

Quickly, she withdrew from the prince's side and began to slide back into the ocean. She resurfaced under the shadow of a rock and tucked herself within as she turned around to watch. The older man had come upon the prince, who had awoken, and both were speaking in hushed tones.

"Arriel, are you all right?" a small voice asked beside her. "Oh…de king is gonna make crab cakes out of me."

Ariel turned, looking down at the court composer, and giggled. "Oh, Sebastian, stop your worrying. Nothing happened."

"Let's go den." The crab gingerly grabbed her hand.

With a sigh, Ariel turned and followed the crab back down into the sea, knowing somehow she would return to the surface.

XxX

Over on land, the royal adviser, Grimsby, supported his youthful charge back up from the beach. He listened halfheartedly as the young prince spoke of the beautiful girl who had rescued him from the stormy waves. Her song was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard in his life.

"I think you swallowed a bit too much sea water, Eric. Come on let's get some rest," Grimsby said as they turned the corner up to the grand castle.

Eric turned to look over his shoulder. "But Grim, we have to find her. She was…there I tell you."

"Huh," Grimsby cried as he tried to keep his footing as the prince stumbled along." It has been a long day, your highness. Please come on now."

The next moment, heavy footsteps were heard almost flying down the stairs. The two men watched silently as the plump housekeeper came rushing toward them, a clean blanket draped over her left arm.

She crossed herself and sighed in relief. "Oh thank the Lord, your highness you are safe. Where were you?"

"The waves washed him up onto the shore," Grimsby explained, pointing over his shoulder to the beach.

"Grim, you're wrong." Eric turned to the housekeeper. "I was saved by a beautiful girl, Carlotta. She rescued me from the sea and brought me back."

Carlotta's dark eyes crinkled in amusement for a brief moment. She reached out and wrapped the blanket around the prince's shoulders. "Oh, Eric, tis good to see you still have that wild imagination of yours. I've missed that."

"Carlotta, it's not a…" Eric yawned, his eyes suddenly drooping. "It's not a joke. It was real."

"Please take the Prince to his chambers; a good day's see him back to his senses. I shall send word to his parents at once," Grimsby ordered.

Carlotta curtsied. "Yes, sir. Come, your Highness. You scared us all half to death."

"Did you see her, Grimsby, she was like an angel," Eric called, dreamily.

Grimsby patted the boy's arm reassuringly. "You will be fine, my boy. It's just the shock that is all."

He watched as the housekeeper escorted the prince down the corridor, his own words echoing in his mind. It's just the shock. Surely, that was it was. There was no other way to explain it. He turned and began walking toward the grand study up in the northern wing.

The scent of the sea air filled his noise as he came upon an open window. He moved over to close it and paused, watching the waves flow and ebb along the coastline. A shiver ran down his spine as the image of fire and emerald shining in the sun came into his mind again.

He crossed himself, rubbing at his weary eyes. The lord has been gracious in sparing the prince's life, but had something else ad also aided the rescue from the ocean depths. The way the Prince spoke was more of a youthful love rather than someone who had been graced by God.

_I shall just keep an eye on him until this silliness has passed_, Grimsby vowed to himself. Turning from the window, he continued on his way, trying to brush aside the sailor's talk from the night before of the bewitching sirens known to lurk in the dark waters.

**So, what do you think? I know it is ver simular to the opening of the Little Mermaid film, but as the storyteller says it is only a simulariry between the two tales, but is important to the overall story she is telling. The one day that mermaids are allowed to go to the surface came from the Hans Chritain Anderson story and other adptations. **

**As to the storyteller is meant to represnt the orignal bride who spun the Aladdin story in A Thousaond and One Nights.** **She will not be a big part of the story, but it was justy a homage to the that larger story. **

**So, please review and let me know aht you thinkl. Constructive Critasim is welcomed, but not useless flames. Please be as detailed possible as a review of "update soon" is not very imformative nor will it help me grow as a writer and in turn craft a good story for you to read. Thank you and the next chapter will be up soon I hope if life works out that way**


End file.
